a love like this
by colorshow
Summary: She meets the newcomer, the Blacksmith's apprentice, and it's a hard fall from there. But is he who she thinks he is? alternate universe. francisxmary.
1. part 1

a/n: Boy I cranked this out fast! Maybe I can finally get out of this writer's block! Depending on the response I get I might write a second part so let me know what you think! I've been wanting to write this alternate universe for a while and it's one of my favorite things I've written.

the title is from the song a love like this by kodaline which perfectly describes frary ;D

* * *

It's a sunny day in the small village in Scotland. Mary's worn dress flows behind her as she walks through the town, her hound at her heels. Mary waves to the people in the town, her smile warm and her steps light.

Everyone knows her; she is the daughter of the baker, their only daughter.

Mary is beautiful, innocent, and kind. Her parents hope for more, for her to be wed to someone of status. She wants none of it.

She is on her daily round of delivering bread to the bakeries customers when she meets him.

The blacksmith is a kind man, his checks are ruddy and his children always cling to Mary's legs when she drops off their bread. When she enters the hut in search of the blacksmith she is confused when she comes in contact with a different man, much younger and blond, doing the daily routine.

"Hello, um, I'm looking for the Blacksmith?" Mary asks curiously. The response she was given was a gentle sigh, one that sounded quite agitated. The man looked up from his work, his blond hair tousled and his blue eyes bright. He looks younger than she initially thought him to be.

His expression softens when he gazes upon her, and their eyes meet and she feels the tingles, the butterflies. The ones Greer so avidly tells her about whenever she spends time with Mary's father's apprentice, Leith.

Clearing his throat the young man sets down his tools coming out from behind the work bench. "Well, is his apprentice good enough for you?"

Mary laughs and teases good naturedly "But I don't even know your name do I?" He shrugs in response "That we can change easily, I am Francis, newcomer."

"A newcomer, we don't get many of those, it's really a surprise you aren't the gossip of the town." Mary ponders giving him a shining smile. Francis modestly shakes his head "I'm lying low."

Picking a stray thread away from her dress she murmurs "That's too bad, I was thinking I could show you around sometime." Francis took a step closer to her his eyes bright "I could use a guide at this festival, Alastair has been telling me about, and his daughters tell me how excited they are every day. Wouldn't want to navigate an important tradition alone." He amends.

Mary nods "Indeed. Come by the bakery at five after noon. We will go then. In the time until then feel free to visit me at the bakery anytime, and please give this bread to the blacksmith for me."

"No problem."

"It was a pleasure to meet you."

"Not as much of a pleasure as it was for me."

Two radiant smiles are exchanged and a strand of hope that will forever tangle the two of them together.

* * *

Beaming after her exchange with the blacksmith's apprentice, Francis, although the girly name said nothing for his appearance. With his crown of golden hair and sea deep blue eyes she wanted nothing more than to press her lips against his.

She was already sixteen, Greer was already prepared to wed Leith any day and Mary had never even been kissed!

His smile, his words, she wanted to melt. She skipped the whole way to the cobbler's in search for Greer.

Rushing through the door to the small shop she rushes to the counter of the store where a bored Greer sits shining a pair of black boots. Insistently she begins to yank on the blonde's arm squealing in excitement.

"What's the matter with you?" Greer demanded. Mary took a deep breath before she squealed "I'm going to the midsummer festival with the blacksmith's apprentice! His name is Francis and he has beautiful blue eyes and golden hair and there was something…." Mary sighs dreamily.

Greer looks at Mary wide-eyed shaking her shoulders "This is amazing Mary you've finally found you're prince!"

"I know" Mary smiles, jumping up and down excitedly with Greer. Maybe getting excited over a boy was silly, but how could she not?

* * *

She sees him every day she drops off bread to the blacksmith. He is always there, he gives her looks that make her want to melt and the two exchange conversations that sometimes are snarky like their first meeting, and sometimes full of understanding that she relives as she lays in bed at night.

Mary eagerly awaits the day of the midsummer festival. On the day it finally arrives her mother intricately braids her hair and she slides on her prettiest dress, a pair of delicate flats on her feet.

He arrives promptly at five and links his arm through hers as they walk into the square together.

"I have been excited for this all week." Mary concedes to him, blushing prettily. He takes her hand in his as he whispers in her ear "Me too. No one has ever enamored me the way you have."

Biting her lip she runs in front of him as they reach the square, taking his hand and pulling him behind her "Let's dance".

Francis blindly follows as she goes to the dance floor twirling to the music that is played nearby. Grabbing both of his hands in hers she twirls him with her, her skirt brushing against his calves. The sun is still a waning bright blue above them as they dance, and dance, and dance. Their eyes fixated on only one thing. Each other.

* * *

After the midsummer festival they officially begin courting each other, meeting daily for a nightly walk. It starts innocently enough, hand holding, and conversations that sometimes become intimate, like the fact that he lost his parents just before he moved to her village. But it is comfortable, but somehow passionate at the same time.

One day though those feelings they discuss are acted upon and his lips press for the first time against hers. It's perfect. It's her first kiss.

The next day she greets him with a kiss and says goodbye with another.

A week later his tongue enters her mouth and they lie down beside the river and spend some time in each other's embrace kissing and whispering to another.

This becomes a pattern in their daily routine quickly. More kisses, more talking, and every free moment is soon spent together.

* * *

Greer and Leith marry not long after Francis and Mary become attached together. The two attend their wedding, a small private ceremony and that's when Mary realizes what she wants.

She wants Francis. She loves Francis.

The two go to their spot by the river after the wedding reception. His arms wrapped around her from where he sits behind her.

Leaning against him Mary whispers "I love you."

She feels his smile against her neck when he whispers back "I love you too."

* * *

They get married the first day of autumn, in a ceremony that is small and lovely. They dance and dance and dance like the night they first fell for each other. At the end of the night Francis carries her to the small house that was built for the two lovers by Mary's father.

They spend their first night together as husband and wife. They've done things before, she's familiar with him, and he her, she knows well the feeling of his fingers, his tongue. His kisses are nothing new, but it seems invigorated. They whisper words of love to each other as he pushes in and out, when it ends the curl together and fall asleep, knowing there are many more nights to come.

In the morning he whispers against her stomach "I hope you're pregnant."

She is.

* * *

Her stomach expands quickly, as does Greer's, the two families share in the joy of their children being able to grow up together.

Sometimes she is moody and cries, the effects of pregnancy, but Francis is more than attentive. Especially when the only thing she craves is him, which is what she craves the most.

But it is Greer who gives birth first; it is a boy, her beautiful Mirren. Mary is there for her throughout the birth and cries with Leith and Greer when he is welcomed into the world.

She feels Francis' tears against her dress as well in that moment and that night as they lay naked together he whispers to Mary "I can't wait until we welcome her into this world."

She can't either.

* * *

The baby comes in summer; Mary's screams are heard throughout the town and Francis cling desperately to her hand, murmuring words of encouragement.

She tries desperately not to scream at him, but he is the reason that this baby is coming out of her.

But after a long labor they welcome their beautiful baby Annabel into the world. Francis is the first to hold her and he cries as he states to Mary "She is as beautiful as her mother, thank you Mary, for giving me your love, our beautiful child. You will always be my world."

Mary to sheds tears as she strokes Annabel's downy hair "Thank you for being mine."

Annabel is a handful, but wonderful and their bundle of joy. By the time Annabel turns one Mary is again pregnant. Francis and she rejoice, their family is growing.

Their beautiful family.

* * *

Her stomach is round when the French enter their small village. The town is silent as they enter the streets, the soldiers carry a white flag, but still Mary is surprised to see Francis to turn pale when he looks into the street, Annabel in his arms as she rubs her hands against his face.

"Mary, I should've told you." He mutters frantically, almost like a madman. Mary shakes her head "What is it?"

Francis turns to answer her when a knock is heard at their door. Francis appears to be frozen in shock and Mary goes to get it.

Pulling open the door she is greeted by a French solider, nervously she asks "Can I help you?" The soldier nods, "We are looking for Dauphin Francis, we believe him to live here."

Mary shakes her head in shock, the Dauphin of France has been missing for a long time and perceived dead, as the realization grips her she feels Francis' presence behind her as he answers tiredly "He is here."

* * *

review or chat with me on tumblr stilescavanaugh!


	2. part 2

a/n: Wow I was overwhelmed by the response! I really love this story and have invested a lot of thought into it! I cranked this out pretty quick and there should be 1-3 more parts, I'm not sure yet, I have quite a bit of story left to tell!

Let me know what you think! And you are always welcome to talk to me on tumblr or send me prompt requests stilescavanaugh I will be MIA soon because I have exams, so a positive reaction would really help inspire me to write more :D

I hope everything is fairly in character, you might hate/love Francis in this chapter. It was an interesting idea for me to explore!

Let me know what you think, reviews make my day, and I always respond!

* * *

**a love like this**

**part two**

* * *

Francis never wanted this, never wanted his old life back. But it has caught up to him, his past coming back in full force.

He didn't want to ever hurt Mary and now he was going to. He hid his past from her, made up one that was only somewhat true but never the full story. Would this change everything? He barely knew anything about France much less the politics of it all, he couldn't remember a thing about living in court, how to act or behave. He wasn't suited to that life anymore, he didn't want it.

After the castle had been invaded and his father killed he had ran, ran like everyone else for his own life, he hadn't stayed and fought. Partially because his mom told him his only choice was to run, run, run. So he did, and from what he heard his half-brother Bash was now King. Only the bastard was left after the eldest heir to the throne assumed dead and his brothers he guessed, were most likely dead. This killed him inside but to stay inconspicuous he had not asked about France, at all. With a name like Francis it was almost like a call beckoning to his heritage, he should have hid his name, but he just couldn't bear to part with his name. It was the only thing he had left of his family. This village, his neighbors taught him what life meant, that a simple life is infinitely better than one filled with riches and honor with a consequence of hardships and loss.

So maybe he never even tried to look back and buried his past. Maybe he never would've been a good king; he obviously was too self-absorbed, which he realized when he fell in love with Mary. He would take being with her and his happiness over his duty any day. So he did. Never spoke of the past, some days he would entirely forget about his past. On days he could only remember this world, where he and Mary took care of themselves and their child, soon to become children.

What if he was to be brought back to the castle, what would become of Mary? How would it be taken that the former Dauphin had married a commoner, and lived with one? What about his beautiful Annabel? The beautiful baby Mary was about to bring into the world?

Why couldn't he be perceived dead still, couldn't he be forgotten a mystery for the history books? Was it awful that he wanted to be that, a mystery and nothing more?

For some time he had thought about coming back but figured it was best to wait until things were safe for sure. He had rode to Scotland, he always had a talent as a blacksmith and figured he could make it as one, and he did. Then he met Mary.

Francis had been betrothed from birth to Queen Lola of Scotland. He never had the chance to think about true love; even though he had never met his wife he was determined to be committed to her.

But then he met Mary. He fell hard, so, so quickly. The day he got married he thought of nothing but their future, nothing else, and how it could be perfect. Why couldn't it be perfect and undisturbed?

There was no going back now, Francis had been found, and there was nothing that could be done about it.

* * *

The guard seems startled, bowing before him, but Francis shakes his head at him, "No, I do not consider myself a Dauphin anymore and neither should you."

The guard leaves, somewhat startled at Francis' words, telling him that he'll be bringing the person who wishes to talk to Francis to his and Mary's home.

Behind him he can feel Mary go rigid; he turns to her, the tears forming in both their eyes. "Mary, I never meant for anyone to find me again, when the castle was invaded, I ran. Then I met you and I didn't want to go back." Francis pleaded, walking forward to wrap his arms around his wife, who simply pushed him away.

"You couldn't have told me! This is important Francis, you are the ruler of a country and I was too fucking stupid to even realize it! You never told me!" Mary cried the tears flowing rapidly as Annabel's big brown eyes looked at her in concern.

Francis grabbed her hand despite her attempts to pull away "I wanted this to be real. I wanted you so much, I wanted this so badly. These years we've spent together, they are the best years I'll ever live. This is my dream Mary, you are my dream." He confessed.

Mary calmed a little "I just, I believe you." She muttered dejectedly "But I'm upset… no, that's not the right word… I'm shocked." she stammered.

"What do you mean love?"

Shaking her head she sat down "I'm married to a man who might've been the King of France. What do you think I mean?" she hissed.

He was silent as she continued "I've been married to you for two years, and am about to have my second child with you and I feel like I should be upset but I'm not. Here you are telling me you'd leave your country for me and I know you, I know everything you say is true. You're past I don't know how much of that is truthful but you've always been honest with me in everything else and now I don't know that anymore. But I want to believe you, so I do." Mary offered, biting her bottom lip, her hands on her stomach. "Everything is going to change and I don't want it to. I want my baby to be raised here, I want Annabel to fall in love here, for us to grow old here. This is my life and it's going to change. I don't know how to feel about it. The thing that scares me is that I'm not scared of you, what you hid. I love you too much and if you love me like I know you do, I can't stay mad at you forever." She concludes wiping the tears away from her face, even when she cries she looks beautiful to him. But he's the one who made her cry.

Francis nods, pressing a kiss to her cheek and putting his hand above hers "I don't know the future, but nothing will affect our family. Our family is my world. You are my world, and I'd scream it from a mountain Mary." He declares, causing Mary to smile at him "Nothing stays perfect as it did for us. As long as us is still perfect, I might manage." Mary decides, knotting his fingers through his.

A knock at the door interrupts them both and Annabel lets out a squeal from her bassinet where Mary had set her. She takes the squealing one year old into her arms as Francis goes to the door.

Bracing himself he opens the door, his jaw dropping open when he sees the face behind it.

"Hello brother seems I've finally found you."

Francis nods tersely "It seems you have Bash." His brother doesn't look much different, besides the wedding ring on his finger and his face which appears older.

A confused look comes across Bash's face "You didn't want to be found, did you?" he asks, his voice biting.

Giving an exasperated sigh Francis waves to him to enter as he sees Bash's eyes flit to the simple wedding band on his finger. "Why don't we talk inside, don't want to have the neighbor's talking, do we?" he questioned.

Bash nodded "Indeed."

Mary sat on the couch inside, Annabel in her arms, Francis gave her meaningful look and she stood up, walking towards the brothers. Bash had just caught sight of her, his eyes going wide at the child in her hands. "Hello, I'm Mary." She said kindly offering her hand out to him, which he shook in response.

Giving her a smile Bash asked cautiously "You're Francis' wife, and I'm guessing this is your daughter?"

Mary nodded, giving Annabel to Francis who the little girl reached out for chanting 'daddy', if her blond hair and brown eyes that were distinctly Mary's weren't enough of a giveaway.

"Yes, her name is Annabel. If you would like to sit in the kitchen I can make you some tea, my friend Greer has recently taken up tea-making, she just had her baby, our children always seem to be close in age." Mary says pleasantly, leading them to the kitchen while Francis juggles a fidgety Annabel in his arms.

Bash nods "I'm guessing you are pregnant again?"

In response Mary nods demurely, heating up some water on the stove. Francis looks at Mary "I think it's time for her nap." Mary nods, "She's about to throw a fit any minute, watch the water for me while I lie her down."

Taking Annabel in her arms she rushes from the room, and the uncomfortable situation.

"So, you're a family man now." Bash asks, his eyebrows raised. Nodding Francis begins to speak "I'm in love with her, we married, and then we wanted to start a family. My family is my world. I work as the apprentice with the local Blacksmith, well I would of eventually been co-owner but I doubt I'll have the chance now." He mutters bitterly.

"You know you have to come back." Bash sneers.

Francis nods "I know but maybe I was fine with being forgotten in the history books. I thought you'd enjoy being King."

Leaning forward against the table Bash barks "I did what was needed, and you need to come back. You are the only rightful heir to the throne. It's your duty."

"I don't know how to act in court, I've went from a child to a man the years since I had to flee the castle, some days I even forget about my past. I couldn't be a king or even know how to act in court." Francis confesses, sighing he adds "What would happen to Mary? My children?"

"You can learn again, our country needs hope, and I'm sure no one is going to destroy your marriage." Bash tries, sounding somewhat unconvincing.

"Is my mother alive?"

"Yes"

"Well then do you really think Mary will be okay?"

Bash shakes his head "This isn't about you, if you know anything outside of this little bubble you live in then you'll know that France is about to go to war, and the people could use a little hope right now." Looking his brother in the eye Bash continues "Come back Francis, I heard a lead about your whereabouts and I knew that this is what France needs. Hope is the only thing stronger than fear, and this is what France needs."

Francis remains silent and Bash angrily stands up "You can't pretend that you're some commoner Francis, that your life is meant to be peaceful. You have to face your responsibilities. You are being selfish!" Bash yells.

It's then that Francis spots Mary from behind the corner, walking forward she takes the kettle of the stove, the whistling of it matching Bash's rage.

Turning to face them she takes a breath "First off, don't scream, Annabel just feel asleep. Secondly, Francis I may love you dearly and want nothing of this-"she starts, her voice shaking "but you can't avoid a county. I know nothing except apparently you are the lost Dauphin of Frances so maybe my opinion isn't relevant, but I know you, you're someone who has always been willing to help, but maybe helping is realizing that this is more important than this. I don't want this, you don't want this, but it's what needs to happen. You can't forever be a mystery in the history books, you have to be real, for your people." She concedes her voice strong.

His eyes swimming he looks at Mary, then at Bash, who he addresses "You're right, I'm being selfish. But I'm no ruler Bash, I'll come back Bash, but you are the true king now." He says.

Bash nods "That's a good place to start." He stands up, going to embrace his long lost brother as Francis' eyes reach Mary.

He really would be nothing without her. But he can't lose her, and he's afraid that's what might happen.


End file.
